Dirigible and the like



Apr. 1923. 1,451,667

' R. H. UPSON DIRIGIBLE, AND THE LIKE Filed July 20, 1918 2 sheets-sheet l 74Z /7/1 JPSO RAEJLGG? '2 sheets-sheet 2 R. H. UPSON DIRIGIBLE, AND THE LIKE Filed July '20 Apr. 10, 1,923.

Patented Apr. l0, 1923.

lASLtW whiten sures PATENT entice same a. onscreen AKRON, OHIO, .assienon ,TO THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY, or AKRON, OHIO, a CORPORATION or OHIO.

DIRIGIBLE mm THE LIKE.

reputation filed Jul a0, 1918. Serial no. 245,540.

To all whom it may cancer 12;:

Be it known that I, RALPH H. Urs'oiv, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements 111 Dirigibles and the like, of which the following is a Specification.

The present invention relates to improve ments in balloons of the dirigible type and the like and more particularly to improvements in nose caps or, cups for preventing the caving in or cu ping of thenose of the balloon. I V

In the drawings, wherein there has'been illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention as it is reduced to' practice, and throughout the several viewsfof which, simi lar referenc'numbers designate corresponding parts: I

Fig. 1 is'an end'elevation ofthe nose portion? of the balloon; r

Fig. 2is a vertical section of the nose; Fig; 3 is a diagrammatic View (if the nose before the elements of this invention are completely assembled thereon; and

Fig. 4 isa similar view after the application of metal nose cup.

The difficulties experienced in designing battens of the old type were many, as for instance, in providing battens that were flexible enough to allow for or compensate for the' various pressures experienced and at the same time provide an article of suflicient stifiness to withstand the excessive pressures, to which they are subjected.

One expedient has been'to increase the number of battens and also increase theirsize and thickness, which greatly increased the weight andiha-mpered the design of the nose. an Another difiiculty was in preventing-the breakingof the light battens which invariably resulted in a complete cave in of the e-t a l a a I Accordingly in the present invention the nose of the balloon envelopeis formed with a slightly sharpened rounded point reinforced; by placing a metal plate or nose piece in front of the envelope. The battens used are of very light construction and are 5 incorporated intoi the envelope in the usual manner but instead-of terminating at a common point, they are arranged at spaced intervals so that theends lie in a circleof a slighter diameter than the largest diameter of the reinforced metal nose.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 repres'ents the envelope proper, ll the metal nose piece cup and 12 a series of battens. The

metal nose is so designed toiafford an air space between the envelope proper and the noseto permit of the clamping of the ends of the battens between the annular clamping rings 13 and 14 interposed between the metal nose 11 and the envelope 10. Suitable machine screws or other fastening means 15 as may be employed to securelybind the metal nose and the outer clamping ring together. The clamping rings 13' and 14 are clamped together by a series of clamping bol ts 16 which are inserted through the rings at the intervals between the battens which does away with the necessity of boring holes tprough the battens and thereby weakening t 1cm. 1

Preferably, the clamping rings 13 and 14: are constructed" with cooperating inner faces that occupy, when the rings are clamped to the nose cup, a position of greater angularity, with respect to the horizontal, than that normally assumed by the battens 12,1vhen the envelope is inflated, and before the rings and nose cup are'positioned relative thereto. Hence, when the rings and nose cup are fully clamped in position each batten is tilted or adjusted about a fulcrum point intermediate the contiguous faces of the rings and the rear portion of each batten behind the rings, and is moved to a position of slightly greater inclination to the major axis of the envelope, whereas, a reversed motion of lesser degree is impartedto the forward end of each batten; This action results in tensioning the nose portion of the balloon fabric beh nd the rings, or that portion thereof that is not covered by the cup proper 11'. i

-Fig. 3 of the drawings illustrates diagrammatically the position of the nose of the envelope before attaching the metal nosepiece andsecuring' thereto therings 18 and 14 and also the angle formed by a line drawn tangential to the bag with thehorizontal, and Fig l illustrates how the angle, which the tangential line makes with the horizontal, is increased from-say 58 to 60 degrees by clamping together the metal nose piece and the application of the clamping rings 13 and 14:. This change of, angle causes the battens to pull thefabrie taut on inc the nose of the envelope as above described, me

What I claim is:

1. The combination with the envelope of an air craft having a nose portion, of a relatively rigid nose cup mounted in front of the nose portion of the envelope, and devices cooperating with the edge of the cup adapted to secure thecup upon the envelope in spaced relation with respect thereto.

2. The combination with the envelope in an air craft of the character described of a nose. member of relatively rigid shape mounted in front of the nose portion of the envelope; a plurality of battens secured to the envelope and radiating rearwardly from the nose cup; and clamping members for securing the peripheral edge of the nose cup to said nose portion and connecting the forward ends of the battens to the nose cup.

3. The combination with an air craft of the character described of a sheet metal nose cup mounted in front of the nose portion of the envelope in spaced relation with respectthereto a plurality of battens having their forward ends detacha'bly secured to the nose cup; and means securing the battens to the envelope. I a

t. The combination with the envelope of an air craft of the character described of a cup shaped metal nose piece adapted to fit over and in front of the nose portion of the envelope, a plurality of battens radiating rearwardly from the nose cup and attached to the envelope, and a pair of clamping rings secured interiorly of the nose cup and re-.

ceiving between them the forward ends of the battens whereby the battens are rigidly and detachably connected to the nose cup.

5. The combination with the envelope of an air craft having a nose portion, of a plurality of battens afiixed to the nose por tion, a relatively rigid nose cup adapted to guard said nose portion, and means for se curing the nose cup to the envelope adapted upon application to adjust the battens to thereby tension a portion of the nose of the envelope.

6. The combination with the envelope of an air craft having a nose portion, of a plurality of battens affixed to the nose portion, a relatively rigid nose cup mounted in front. of said nose portion of the envelope and having a greater degree of concavity than the nose portion, and means for securing the nose cup to the envelope adapted upon application to adjust the battens to tension a portion of the fabric of the envelope. 7. The combination with the envelope of an aircraft having a curved nose portion,

of a dome shaped nose guard of greater curvature than said nose portion, and annular elements for securing the peripheral edge of the guard to the nose portion and spacing said guard therefrom to provide an air chamber therebetween.

8. The combination with the envelope of an air craft having a curved nose portion, of a dome shaped nose guard of greater curvature than said nose portion, and annular opposed elements for securing the peripheral edge of the guard to thenoseportion and spacingsaid guard therefrom to provide an air chamber therebetween.

9. The combination with the envelope of an air craft having a curved nose portion, of a dome shaped nose guard of greater curvature than said nose portion, a. plurality of battens secured to the envelope and radiating rearwardly from said guard, and opposed clamping elements for securing the periphoral edge of the guard to the nose portion and spacing said guard therefrom to provide an air chamber therebetween.

10. The combination with the envelope of an air craft having a curved nose portion, of a dome shaped nose guard, a plurality of battens radiating rearwardly from said nose guard, means engaging the edge of the guard for securing said guard upon the nose portion in spaced relation with respect thereto, and means coacting with said first means to hold the battens in relatively fixed relation.

11. The combination with the envelope of an 'air craft having a curved nose portion, of a dome shaped nose guard of greater curvature than said noseportion, a. plurality of battens radiating rearwardly from said nose guard, means engaging the peripheral edge of the guard for securing said guard upon the nose portion in spaced relation with respect thereto, and means coacting with said first means to hold the battens in relatively fixed relation.-

12. The combination with a ballooon envelope comprising a.nose portion, of a plurality of battens incorporated in the'mate-rial of the nose portion, a. guard adapted to be mounted upon'the battens in enclosing relation to said nose portion, and means for mounting the guard upon the battens adapted upon application to adjust the battens to tension an adjacent portion of the envelope.

13. The combination with a balloon envelope comprising a nose portion, of a plu rality of battens incorporated in the material of the nose portion in co-incidence with the major axis of the envelope, a nose guard adapted to be mounted upon the forward end of the battens in enclosing relation with respect thereto and to a portion of said material, and means for mounting the guard upon the battens adapted upon application to adjust the rear ends of the battens away from battens therebetween and provided with 00- operating faces for engaging the battens arranged at an angle to the horizontal whereby when said rings and cup are applied the battens are adjusted to tension the unenolosed material of the nose portion.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my 20 name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RALPH H. UPSON. Witnesses:

A. H. LEDDERS, E. C. LEADENHAM. 

